Golfer&#39;s wrist bend restraining device



Oct. 29, 1968 J. w. NORWOOD 3,408,077

GOLFERS WRIST BEND RESTRAINING DEVICE Filed Sept. 7, 1966 f Ea],

INVENTOR. Jd'fP/fi M Mae/amp United States Patent 3,408,077 GOLFERS WRIST BEND RESTRAINING DEVICE Joseph W. Norwood, 5356 9th Ave., Los Augeles, Calif. 90043 Filed Sept. 7, 1966, Ser. No. 577,633 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-189) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A rigid planar member has a width corresponding to that required to span only the fourth and fifth metacarpophalangeal joints of a golfers hand to resist bending of the golfers wrist. The length of the planar member is such that it extends from a position forwardly of said joints to a position above the golfers wrist joint. Two straps secure the planar member in position. One encircles the hand and the other the wrist. A loop member at the forward end of the planar member grippingly encircles the ring finger of the golfers hand.

This invention relates to a golf instruction device adapted to be secured to the wrist of a player to facilitate learning the proper strokes in the game of golf. More particularly, the device serves to constrain the wearers wrist to prevent its backward bending during the stroke.

Generally speaking, the invention comprises a rigid support which fits over the fourth and fifth metacarpophalangeal joints and the corresponding back side of the wearers hand and wrist. A soft cushioning material forms a backing for the rigid support for the wearers comfort. Attached to this rigid member are two straps which wrap about the hand and wrist, and a loop which fits over the wearers ring and little finger. The strap and loop serve to hold the device firmly in place.

Previous devices to prevent wrist bending have been proposed. Such proposals, however, have not attempted to isolate the controlling factors in such a wrist movement. Instead these devices have substantially covered the entire back of the hand, wrist, and a portion of the forearm, thus greatly restricting movement in directions other than that in which restriction is desired. Moreover, such devices have been cumbersome, uncomfortable to the wearer and relatively expensive to manufacture. The device of the instant invention is a carefully contoured rigid support covering only the controlling elements of the rearward bending of the wrist, and is held in place by an exceedingly simple mechanism.

The controlling elements mentioned above refer to the fourth and fifth metacarpophalangeal joints of the wearers hand. It has been found that these joints together with the little and ring finger are the elements which control the bending motion of the wrist in the rearward direction. The combination of applying pressure to the top of these joints, as is done by the support member, and bending the little and ring finger tightly about the club, as in the golf grip, prevents this rearward bending of the wrist.

It is accordingly one object of this invention to provide a golf instruction device which prevents the bending back of the wrist to which it is attached.

It is another object of this invention to provide such a device which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device which is small in size, light in weight, and comfortable to the wearer.

It is a further object of this invention to provide such a device which acts only upon those elements of the wearers hand and wrist which control the back bending of his wrist.

These and other objects will be apparent in the course of the description of the invention which follows.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the device.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view showing the device secured to the wearers hand.

FIGURE 4 is a side view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 showing the device secured to the wearers hand and indicating a club properly held therein.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the device is seen to comprise a rigid support 10, which is shaped to cover the fourth and fifth metacarpophalangeal joints, and the corresponding back side of the wearers hand and wrist as shown particularly in FIGURE 3. It is so shaped to allow free movement of the hand while at the same time covering two of the controlling factors of the rearward bending of the wrist, that is the two above mentioned joints. On the underside of this rigid support is a soft cushioning material 11 for the wearers comfort. Attached to the support at 12 is a strap 13 which fastens around the wearers hand, and at 14 second strap 15 which fastens about the wearers wrist. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, these straps comprise the well known hook and pile fasteners, as seen in FIGURE 2. Also attached at 12 or to the first strap 13-, as desired, is a loop 16. This loop is adapted to fit about the wearers ring and little finger as shown, and hold the device over the controlling joints as above described. As an alternative, the loop 16, which may be of elastic material, may be adapted to fit only about the wearers ring finger. The device is held fast to the wearers wrist by two straps 13 and 15.

While the specific details of the invention have been shown and described, changes and alterations may be restorted to without departing from the spirit thereof as defined in the appended claim.

I claim 1. A wrist bend restraining device for golfers consisting essentially of an elongated rigid substantially planar support member having a lateral width corresponding to that required to span only the fourth and fifth metacarpophalangeal joints of a golfers hand, the length of said member being such as to extend from a position forwardly of said joints to a position above the golfers wrist joint so that bending of said wrist joint may be restricted; first and second elongated strap means attached to said support member near the opposite ends thereof, said first strap means being adapted to be secured about the wearers hand, the second strap means being adapted to be secured about the wearers wrist; a loop connected to the forward end of said support member and adapted to grippingly encircle the wearers ring finger to prevent slippage of said support member on said hand and said wrist.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1931 Thigpen 128--87 8/1966 Blough 273-54 

